Suggestions for an EBMM Silhoutte

[kid charlemange]

Hi everyone!

I recently acquired a '97 Silhouette and am looking to upgrade it's humbuckers.

This has a fixed-bridge, a 24 fret solid maple neck and alder body.

I play a bit of jazz (classic, modern and fusion) and rock out pretty often. The kind of bridge pick up tones I enjoy are by Holdsworth, Brett Garsed and Allen Hinds, who I believe use moderate to low output humbuckers.

For the neck bucker, I'm after something airy and detailed, with the capability of warming up when the tone knob is dialled back.

I'm considering possibly an Abraxas or a Rebel Yell in the bridge. Would an Emerald get me what I'm after for the neck? Having 24 frets complicates the placement  :P

I would truly appreciate any suggestions! Thank you in advance!

 :D

[fhn_lopes]

As you play jazz and this kinda stuff I recon you need a very clean and FAT sounding pickup, yet capable of retaining headroom... what kind of amp do you use?

Well, for the bridge I think the rebell yell isn't what you're looking for bc it's true rock voiced pup with more mids than lows, and it saturates an alltube amp easily bc it has plenty output. The abraxas has some output too but it is more vintage voiced.

I have a few suggestions, even though I think you should listen to the clips a lot and search for more over the net. BKPs are usually versatile pups..

Bridge: For a low output vintege style nice clean tone, I'd go for the Mule or the Storm Monday. PAF-ish though, not sure if you want it.
I dunno what the otehr guys think, but the blackhawk, even being a contemporary pickup and loved by metal players, has a very NICE fat clean tone full of harmonics, and saturates well too... If you choose for the blackhawk, go for a calibrated set with alnico V.

Neck: If you go for the mule or storm monday, go for a calibrated set. If you choose the abraxas or antoher moderate output pu for the bridge, go for the EMERAAAAAALLDD!! It's the best neck pickup ever made, trust me. It has a nice and warm clean tone, and retains the clarity and definition even with loads and loads of gain (not your case). Clear, articulated and defined, nice vocal tones out of it, a no brainer for sure.

Other thing, I'd take a look over the humbucker sized P-90 if I was you... NICE fat tones, tons of low end and definition of a single coil... I'd sugest a Mississipi queen neck / supermassive bridge (even though the supermassive is a real p90, I beleave they can do a humbucker sized version without a problem). Listen to the p-90's clips, lots of nice material for sure.

[Telerocker]

Abraxas/Mule-neck!

[Mr. Air]

Abraxas bridge and Mule neck is a good option. Maybe a p90 combination of MQ bridge and Manhattan neck could be the ticket. The MQ would give you a versatile bridge pickup that can do anything from clean to hard rock and the Manhattan neck will you give a super nice jazzy clean tone, but it works well with some gain too.

[kid charlemange]

As you play jazz and this kinda stuff I recon you need a very clean and FAT sounding pickup, yet capable of retaining headroom... what kind of amp do you use?

Well, for the bridge I think the rebell yell isn't what you're looking for bc it's true rock voiced pup with more mids than lows, and it saturates an alltube amp easily bc it has plenty output. The abraxas has some output too but it is more vintage voiced.

I have a few suggestions, even though I think you should listen to the clips a lot and search for more over the net. BKPs are usually versatile pups..

Bridge: For a low output vintege style nice clean tone, I'd go for the Mule or the Storm Monday. PAF-ish though, not sure if you want it.
I dunno what the otehr guys think, but the blackhawk, even being a contemporary pickup and loved by metal players, has a very NICE fat clean tone full of harmonics, and saturates well too... If you choose for the blackhawk, go for a calibrated set with alnico V.

Neck: If you go for the mule or storm monday, go for a calibrated set. If you choose the abraxas or antoher moderate output pu for the bridge, go for the EMERAAAAAALLDD!! It's the best neck pickup ever made, trust me. It has a nice and warm clean tone, and retains the clarity and definition even with loads and loads of gain (not your case). Clear, articulated and defined, nice vocal tones out of it, a no brainer for sure.

Other thing, I'd take a look over the humbucker sized P-90 if I was you... NICE fat tones, tons of low end and definition of a single coil... I'd sugest a Mississipi queen neck / supermassive bridge (even though the supermassive is a real p90, I beleave they can do a humbucker sized version without a problem). Listen to the p-90's clips, lots of nice material for sure.

Thank you for your suggestions!

I practically use any amp that's available where I find myself at. But my regular amp at home is an old Roland Super Cube 60, that I've loaded with a Jensen Mod. I prefer the neutrality of solid state amps.

I was checking out the blackhawk vids, and I just went "WOW". Those are huge sounding and I can imagine their versatility. I'm curious to know how they sound when split/tapped.

I've read good things about the Emerald in the neck slot. My gas is building!

Thank you as well for the P90 suggestions. I'm a little concerned about hum though, as the bad electricity and all the electrical environmental disturbances drive me nuts. I sometimes use quite a bit of gain. I once was jamming at a friends house, and he lived next to a huge powerline. My tele was the only noisy axe in the bunch. 

I appreciate your time for sharing your thoughts :)

[kid charlemange]

Abraxas/Mule-neck!

Abraxas bridge and Mule neck is a good option. Maybe a p90 combination of MQ bridge and Manhattan neck could be the ticket. The MQ would give you a versatile bridge pickup that can do anything from clean to hard rock and the Manhattan neck will you give a super nice jazzy clean tone, but it works well with some gain too.

Thanks heaps!

I'm kinda leaning towards the Abraxas bridge & Emerald neck, and will also be exploring the Blackhawk.

I just received a response from Ben, and he mentioned that a Crawler set would also be worth looking at, because of their warmth and output. Been checking out Geoff Whitehorns clips, he's really something else.

Hmmm...

[Telerocker]

Abraxas/Mule-neck!

Abraxas bridge and Mule neck is a good option. Maybe a p90 combination of MQ bridge and Manhattan neck could be the ticket. The MQ would give you a versatile bridge pickup that can do anything from clean to hard rock and the Manhattan neck will you give a super nice jazzy clean tone, but it works well with some gain too.

Thanks heaps!

I'm kinda leaning towards the Abraxas bridge & Emerald neck, and will also be exploring the Blackhawk.

I just received a response from Ben, and he mentioned that a Crawler set would also be worth looking at, because of their warmth and output. Been checking out Geoff Whitehorns clips, he's really something else.

Hmmm...

If you want open, complex jazztones from the neck, I would def. go for the Mule-neck. I have a the Crawler-bridge in a strat and it's way more compressed then a Mule. It's very smooth and fat though, with a round topend, but not dull at all. The Abraxas sits between the Crawler and the Mule, more chime than the Crawler, more mids and output than the Mule.

[bandmaster188]

Abraxas/Mule-neck!

+1 to this. also worth considering the Abraxas neck pickup which is open and airy much like the mule.

[darkbluemurder]

If you want open, complex jazztones from the neck, I would def. go for the Mule-neck. I have a the Crawler-bridge in a strat and it's way more compressed then a Mule. It's very smooth and fat though, with a round topend, but not dull at all. The Abraxas sits between the Crawler and the Mule, more chime than the Crawler, more mids and output than the Mule.

Very accurate descriptions of the Crawler and the Abraxas.

Cheers Stephan